Book review

The time is the 1950's when a young boy listens to the stories of the war from his father and uncles. The young boy becomes intrigued by their stories and the messages he hears from his elders that he may someday have to don a uniform and protect and defend his country. John Priest, the young boy from Harlem, New York, learns of an organization called The Boy Scouts of America. He inquires about the qualifications and finds that at 12 years old he is eligible to join. John Priest dedicates his time to become a model boy scout with aspirations of becoming the highest decorated level Boy Scout, "THE EAGLE SCOUT." The Boy Scout uniform that he proudly wears and the integrity that comes along with it changes his whole attitude toward his young life, and he is dedicated to be the best and the brightest, admiring the insignia, "TROOP 1". John Priest's life and career as a Boy Scout is foiled due to an incredibly bad experience with the troop leaders. John Priest becomes disillusioned and rebellious, leaves school and takes to the drug and crime infested streets of Harlem, and he vows never to wear a uniform again. He gets involved in a drug dealing lucrative business, which brings him independence and financial rewards. He meets an attractive female and she makes him see his life in a different light. He decides to change. However, as fate would have it, the odds of life catch up with him and the big hand of the law grasps him. John Priest is now faced with a dilemma of going to prison or putting on a military uniform under the conditions of the civilian court. His vow to never wear a uniform again is broken when he opts to accept military time in place of prison. John Priest finds himself facing the jungles of Vietnam and all the elements of war against him. On his arm appears the insignia of the U.S. Army Infantry, "THE BIG RED 1."

Born in New York in 1946 John Morabito grew up in the scenic Hudson Valley in the city of Peekskill, New York about twenty five miles north of New York City. John attended high school in Peekskill and worked in the area until he was drafted into the army during the Vietnam War. After his tour of duty John took to the highways of the United States and traveled throughout the country. Living in San Francisco in the mid 1960's he attended the City College of San Francisco where he intermittingly enrolled in literature and writing courses. San Francisco and the California coast and mountains served as settings for two of his published fiction novels " The Lower Farm" and " The Upper Lake." John Morabito returned to New York where he married raised three children and worked for a public utility for twenty nine years. In 2007 he began his long awaited dream of writing.